The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has promised that students in Senior High Schools (SHS) under the government’s Free SHS programme will enjoy nutritious meals if he is elected.
During his recent tour of the Upper East Region, Mahama promised that school authorities would be given the responsibility to procure food for their students, unlike the current system where the National Buffer Stock carries out that responsibility.
This promise comes in response to concerns raised about the challenges the policy is faced with.
A JoyNews documentary revealed how first-year students of some Senior High Schools (SHS) across the country were forced to eat one specific meal for lunch and supper for an entire term due to an acute food shortage.
For months, parents, teachers, and stakeholders have raised concerns about the alleged shortcomings of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, specifically regarding the provision of three daily hot meals to SHS students free of charge.
After over seven years of the policy’s implementation, President Akufo-Addo during the 2024 State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, February 27, emphasised its transformative impact.
He called for an end to arguments against the policy, stating that its success should be acknowledged, and efforts should focus on improving it.
According to Mr Mahama, the NDC aims to address the food shortages and improve the quality of meals provided to students in senior high schools.
“We are going to let the headmasters be responsible for procuring food for their students because we want the students to have nutritious meals. We cannot wait for the National Food Buffer Stock to bring food before our children eat,” he said.